Key Points
- Australia’s bill seeks to ban social media use for children under 16, imposing strict age-verification measures.
- Google and Meta urged a delay, citing untested age-verification systems and potential consequences.
- TikTok criticized the rushed process and lack of consultation. X warned the bill could violate children’s freedom of expression and information rights.
- Despite calls for further evaluation, the government plans to pass the bill by Thursday.
Google and Meta Platforms have urged the Australian government to delay passing a controversial bill prohibiting children under 16 from accessing most social media platforms. The proposed legislation, touted as one of the world’s strictest measures on children’s social media use, is expected to be pushed through parliament by Thursday, the end of the parliamentary year.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s government introduced the bill last week, allowing only a day for public submissions. Google and Meta argued that more time is needed to assess the bill’s implications, particularly its reliance on an untested age-verification system that may require biometric data or government identification.
Meta, in its submission, expressed concerns about the bill’s efficacy in its current form, stating, “In the absence of such results, neither industry nor Australians will understand the nature or scale of age assurance required by the bill, nor the impact of such measures on Australians.”
The legislation requires social media companies, rather than parents or children, to implement age-verification protections. Companies failing to comply could face penalties of up to AUD 49.5 million ($32 million).
While the opposition Liberal Party is expected to back the bill, independent lawmakers and critics have accused the government of rushing the legislative process. A Senate committee on communications legislation is set to deliver its findings on Tuesday, just days after the bill’s introduction.
TikTok, owned by ByteDance, highlighted the bill’s lack of clarity and raised “significant concerns” over the absence of detailed consultation with stakeholders, including mental health organizations and young people. The platform stated, “Where novel policy is put forward, it’s important that legislation is drafted in a thorough and considered way to achieve its stated intention. This has not been the case with respect to this bill.”
Elon Musk’s X, formerly Twitter, criticized the bill for potentially infringing on children’s rights, including their freedom of expression and access to information. Musk labeled the legislation a potential backdoor to broader internet restrictions.
Despite the pushback, the government remains determined to enact the bill swiftly, aiming to address growing concerns over online safety for minors.
